


Reperations

by Unholy_Dionysus



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Coming Out, Corporal Punishment, Domestic Discipline, Impact Play, Intense subjects, Internalized Homophobia, Mentions of past abuse, Mentions of past deaths, Mentions of past war crimes, Multi, Not dead dove - but might be close for some folks, Other, Physical Punishment, Post-Canon, Sadomasochism, Spankings, Zuko’s self loathing, no beta we die like men
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-28
Updated: 2020-05-28
Packaged: 2021-03-03 02:48:09
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,430
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24427522
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Unholy_Dionysus/pseuds/Unholy_Dionysus
Summary: Firelord Zuko is struggling with the weight of his previous actions, unable to sleep or barely function from the guilt, he makes a request from his friends.
Relationships: Aang & Katara (Avatar), Aang & Zuko (Avatar), Aang/Katara/Zuko (Avatar), Aang/Zuko (Avatar), Katara & Zuko (Avatar), Katara/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 3
Kudos: 123





	Reperations

Zuko drank in a calm silence with Aang, the negotiations between the Fire nation and the water tribes having finished hours early, but the two stayed up. Both new the other needed company, someone who understood what they had gone through, what had allowed these negotiations to occur. Sometimes Zuko thinks that he and Aang might have taken the war harder then the others. Katara and Sokka seemed to have recovered, Suki was silent more often then not — perhaps she too was struggling, Toph was as cocky and quick-witted as she had always been, somehow their youngest campaign managed the best — came out the least broken, maybe it was the inability to have seen the bloodshed. 

Aang sighed softly, staring out at the night sky from Zuko’s balcony. The moon — Yue, stared back. Aang often wondered what she saw what they were doing, if she was proud of them, if she still loved Sokka. So many things after the war were left unanswered. 

The avatar glanced over to Zuko who was busy staring into his Sake, he had drank more than enough for both of them tonight and while Aang looked for answers in the moon, Zuko had taken to looking for it in alcohol. 

“Aang,” whispered the Firelord, still looking down,”Can I ask something of you?”. 

“Of course, you know you ask me anything at all, I’m always glad to help you,”. 

“Would, would you spank me?” 

Aang stared at the other man blankly, “You…could you repeat that? I think I might have misheard you,”. 

Zuko pulled his head up to look the avatar in the eyes, “Would you spank me, like punish me?”. 

“Wow, you’re really drunk aren’t you,” It wasn’t really a question, “I don’t understand,”. 

“I want you to punish me,” slurred Zuko, “what’s heard to understand?”. 

Aang glances away from Zuko and back up to the moon, he could really — really use some sort of guideness. 

“Why?” Asked the avatar. 

“Because I did bad things and bad things need to be punished Aang, I did awful things to you and you’re friends and so many people whose names I never bothered to learn. I need to be punished,”. 

Aang frowned and sighed, his shoulders dropping and turning to face Zuko. He thought that maybe Zuko had moved past his self-loathing after the Dragon Dance, apparently not. 

“Zuko…” Aang started,his voice soft, “We’ve all ready forgiven you. Katara, Sokka, Toph, and I, we’ve forgiven you. You don’t deserve punishment. You deserve happiness,”. 

“But, I haven’t forgiven myself,” Zuko whispered. 

“Maybe we should talk about this when you’re sober,” Aang said with a frown, “I think you should get some rest, you’ll need it tomorrow — you have a nation to fix,”. 

Zuko nodded and stumbled towards his bed, not bothering to pull down the covers and falling flat on his stomach — still dressed in his formal robes. As Aang made to leave, Zuko called out his name. 

The avatar turned at the doorway to look at the figure on the bed, Zuko with his head still buried in his pillows. 

“I’m sorry,” his voice hoarse and muffled. 

“I’ve forgiven you,” Aang stressed the words, “please, get some rest. I worry about you, Zuko,”. 

The door closes and Aang leans against it, hearing soft sobs from inside the room, he wanted to go back in and wrap his friend in his arms, to comfort him and tell him that he was cherished and a good man. Aang sighed and pulled away from the door. He headed to his room, he was spread to thin to be of any help to his friend. 

### ###

  


Zuko woke up with a headache and the taste of shame at the back of his throat, it mixed with the bile that he vomited onto his floor. He wasn’t sure if it was the hangover or the knowledge that he had pleaded his closest friend to not just punish him, to be spank him, as if he were a child. He was humiliated. 

His eyes swollen from having cried himself to sleep. He didn’t want to get up from where he knelt at the floor, but he a nation to run, negations, citizens to assist, and friends to avoid. 

Every bone in his body ached as he pulled himself off the floor and towards his wardrobe, sliding out of the robes he had passed out in and into a fresh less formal set, kicking the slept in clothes towards the vomit near his bed for some servant to take care of. 

He had missed a number of meetings with the shoguns and a General that he would have to reschedule. He made it in time to the throne room to hold audiences with peasants. Mostly land disputes that needed to be put to rest and marriage requests. He wished he had a morning drink. 

  


### ###

  


Aang slumped down in a chair at the table, Katara glanced up at him from the water-bending scroll she was trying to understand and arched an eyebrow. 

“Talk to me,” she said rolling the scroll back up and setting it on the table. 

Aang ran a finger up and down the table, a nervous tick that he had picked up sometime after the war, “It’s kind of private,” 

“I’m your wife, nothings is private — I tell you anything. Come one, somethings clearly wrong and I can’t help fix it until you talk to me. You’ve been like this since the water tribe negotiations,”. 

“It’s not about me though, it’s about a friend. I’m just worried about him,”. 

“Zuko,” guessed Katara. 

Aang nodded, he should have known better to try and hide his conflicting feelings from the water-bender, she always seemed to pick up on everyone’s troubles, always trying to help. Maybe that was her way of coping. 

“I worry about him to. Mei says they’ve been on and off again. He talks to her, but well, she doesn’t talk to anyone,”. 

Aang swallowed the lump in his throat, “He asked me to hurt him, because of the things he did before he joined us. I tried telling him that we forgave him, but he said something about not forgiving himself,”. 

“When did he ask?” Katara questioned. 

“After the water tribe negotiations. He was drunk, really drunk. I told him that we should talk about stuff when he’s sober, but he hasn’t brought it up since,”. Aang replied and rested his head against the table. 

“I don’t think it’s something he can confront you about while sober, Aang. Zuko hold his pride on a high pedestal. It would make him feel weak and emasculated,”. Katara said. 

“I don’t understand why he asked. He — well, he asked me to spank him, specifically. I can’t imagine what that would do to his pride, but he sounded like he was going to cry if I didn’t,”. 

Katara was silent for a few minutes, staring out the window. The blue sky bright and welcoming, it felt like such a waste to spend the day inside. 

“I think this might be something Zuko needs, Aang.” She said looking back at her husband. 

“What do you mean, I thought you forgave him?” Aang asked, his voice distressed. 

“I have, but he told you he hasn’t. I think — the way Zuko was raised, Aang — it messed with the way he views a lot of things, especially himself. His father probably abused him, Aang. Zuko’s only way of feeling absolved might be through physical means,”. 

“That’s awful. Why can’t the physical means just be hugs? I want to hug him and tell him that he’s not a bad person. He did awful things but he’s making up for them as much as he can,”. Aang said, finally pulling his head away from the table. 

“It’s more complicated then that, Aang. He knows that nothing he does can bring back the people that well, he killed. The people he’s hurt. We might have forgiven him but the people who are dead can’t do that. He wants to be freed of his guilt in the only way he understands, physical punishment,”. Katara explained as she rolled the scroll back and forth. 

“So, you think I should do it? Punish him,” he asked. 

“I think that we should confront him about it, ask what he wants and what we can do to help him. If that’s to spank him or to scold him, then we should consider it, for his own mental wellbeing. I don’t like the idea of hurting him anymore than you do, but not following through with this might hurt him more, Aang,”. 

  


### ###

  


Zuko, 

  


If you want to discuss what we spoke about on the balcony the other week, we think it would be a good Idea. I told Katara what we talked about, I’m sorry if I shouldn’t have but I needed her guidance. We both want to help you and if the subject of that conversation helps, then it’s something we should all talk about. 

  


Your friends, 

Aang and Katara 

  


They had gone through a dozen letter drafts before settling on it. Short and to the point, like Zuko preferred things. Discrete as it could be, while it might cause suspicions if apprehended it wouldn’t completely destroy the Firelord’s sense of honor or valor. 

Katara sent it before either of them could second guess themselves. Helping a friend is rarely easy, but when you love them, it’s the only choice you can make. 

  


There wasn’t a reply until a month later. 

### ###

  


Aang and Katara, 

I want to meet with you at the palace, on the solstice if you can make it. I feel awkward about this, I feel awkward about most conversations. I do need you both though, you’re me dear friends and I can’t stand the way I feel right now. 

  


\- Zuko 

  


Katara sent a reply back saying they would be there and that they were happy he was reaching out to them for help. It took strength to admit when you have a problem, she assured him. 

  


### ###  


  
The day came quicker than any of them realized. Zuko, Aang, and Katara gathered around a table in the Firelord’s room. The curtains drawn shut and the door locked. 

“So…” Started Katara, “we should talk,”. 

Zuko nodded. Aang fidgeted in his chair. 

“You want to be physically disciplined for your actions,” Katara said in a clear voice, straighting her back. 

They needed to avoid acting like it was a shameful or weak request. They had to talk to each other like adults. Work to figure out what everyone needed, what Zuko needed, what they could provide. 

Zuko bowed his head in shame anyways, his hands covered his face and he nodded again. 

“Ok,” Katara said, “I understand why you might want that and if it’s something you need than we should talk about it. Figure out what Aang and I can do to make you feel better. Even if we have to make you hurt first to do that. 

Zuko let out a sob, “I need it. I need it. I need to be punished. I can’t sleep at night, I feel so guilty all the time. I can’t eat, I can barely think sometimes. It’s like I’m suffocating,”. 

Aang wiped away the tears that had started to stream down his face. He didn’t realize how much Zuko had been dealing with. It wouldn’t help to be seen crying by the Firelord though, it might only make the young ruler feel guiltier. He felt he should have reached out to Zuko more. Becoming the head of a nation at the age of 18 after a war and the impressment of your family, living with all the guilt, Aang knew it must be awful. 

“We’ll help you,” Aang said, speaking up for the first time since they entered the room,”we’ll punish you, just please remember we’ve forgiven you. We care about you and you’re a good man who did the right thing in the end,”. 

“I have to ask one more thing,” Katara said, this time meekly, “Zuko, is this in anyway a sexual thing,”. 

Aang blushed as red as the fire emblem on the flag that hung from the walls. Zuko froze and then attempted to bury himself further into his hands. 

A mumbled voice came from him, inaudible but a guilty tone. 

“Zuko?” asked Katara 

“I don’t know,” he cried, “I want to be punished for what I did because I deserve to be disciplined and it’s not a thought that I find arousing, but -” 

“But?” Pressed Katara. 

“I, I get turned on by being hit — and hitting other people. I’m a sick son of bitch and I shouldn’t ask you to be doing this. I’m so fucked up in the head and I don’t know what else to do,”. 

Aang reached out and pulled the hand that covered Zuko’s scar from his face and interlaced their fingers. 

“You’re not fucked up, Zuko. You’re complicated. We all our. No one’s normal. That’s what the monks taught me. Just because you have certain desires and fantasies doesn’t make you evil. No one’s perfect and that’s a good thing. Yes, you’re a little odd — you’re asking for something I never would have thought you’d request or want. That doesn’t change the fact that you’ve grown into a good man and a good friend,”. 

“I think we should talk about how you want to be punished another day,” Katara said standing and embracing her friend, “We love you so much, Zuko. Cry it all out, I know you need it. I understand,”. 

They tucked Zuko into his bed and each pressed a kiss to his forehead. 

  


### ###

  


They scheduled the talk for later in the week, so the water-bending master and her husband didn’t have to leave only to be asked back to the Fire nation. The week was spent in nervous laughter and quite evenings where Katara and Aang would sit together in their guest room and talk softly about their plans for the future. It was oddly enough a relaxing break from their usual duties, to spend time lounging around the Fire Nation and helping the servants and the citizens of the nation. Despite the fact that they were only staying the week so they could discuss beating their friend, they felt for the first time — in a long time, at peace and with little worry. 

Of course when the day to speak about the punishment arrived, well — their anxieties were high, to put it mild. Aang kept bothering the servants to ask for more chores and Katara paced the whole of the palace more than twice over. Eventually the were called to tea with the Firelord in his room. 

This time Zuko was more composed, sitting at the table with a pot of Jasmine tea, offering them each a cup and noting on it’s calming nature. They sat and drank their tea and when they finished Zuko poured a second cup for each of them. 

“So,” Katara started as she sipped her tea, “what kind of punishment do you need? Aang mentioned you wanted to be spanked,”. 

Zuko blushed, but hid behind his tea cup this time instead of his hands, taking a long and seemingly thoughtful sip before nodding his head. 

“Can you say it out loud?” Katara asked, “I don’t mean to embarrass you, I just need to hear it out loud that way I can do this without worry,”. 

Somehow Aang thought not even a verbal consent would help Katara worry less about the situation, it certainly hadn’t helped him when the Zuko had asked out loud. Aang new Zuko was never good in social situations or speaking in general, he recalled the silence of The Blue Spirit and wondered how often Zuko dreamed of slipping that theatre mask back on so that he might not have to use his voice, certainly he did at this moment. 

“I want to be taken over your laps and spanked while being reprimanded for my actions,” whispered Zuko. 

Katara nodded and played with the rim of her cup, she wished the Jasmine tea was more calming or perhaps for something stronger, but no. They all needed to be sober for this, which brought her next question. 

“Have you had anything to drink today?” Katara asked. 

Zuko raised his eyebrow and lifted his tea cup again. 

Katara let out a giggle which spurred Aang into laughter and all of a sudden the mood was lighter and they shared a moment of relief. Things could be normal during this strange situation. 

“No alcohol though, right?” Katara asked under a giggle and Zuko blushing but laughing along nodded, no alcohol. 

“How many times should we spank you?” Katara asked, this time the question came out a little easier. 

“I, as many as I can take, until I ask you to stop. I don’t know how much I’ll need until I feel like I’ve been properly punished,”. 

“If you start to bruise purple or I see any bleeding, we’re stopping even if you don’t think you’ve had enough,” Aang said in a serious voice. 

“That’s understandable,” Zuko said, pouring yet more tea, “I want it as hard as you can give it, though,”. 

Katara and Aang glanced at each other as if speaking without words and nodded. 

“Ok,” agreed Katara, you’ve fought us, you know how hard it is to be hit at full force by us, I trust you know what your limits are,”. 

“I need this,” Zuko said softly, “I don’t think I’ll feel like anything but a monster until it’s done. I need this to feel human and whole again, so please, don’t hold back or I won’t know what to do with myself.” 

“I understand,” Aang said, both a lie and a truth. He understood that Zuko needed to be punished but not why he felt that way, it was all so confusing to the monk. 

“Thank you,”. 

“So,” said Katara, “Should we do this now?”. 

Zuko nodded and went to stand, then sat back down. 

“Something wrong?” Aang asked 

“What if,” Zuko coughed and in quickly asked, “what if I get aroused?”. 

Katara quickly matched Zuko in rosy cheeks and Aang shrugged. 

“I won’t be offended, I know you don’t view any of this in a sexual way, you’re body is going to react however it chooses and you can’t really do anything about that,”. 

Katara nodded and Zuko stood with a mumbled thank you. 

  


### ###  


The three of them sat on Zuko’s bed and eased into a surprisingly comfortable silence. None of them made to touch the other as Zuko did breathing exercises at the edge of his bed, Aang meditated, and Katara worked on some needle work she had brought with her. 

Zuko took in a deep breathe before letting it out with a small puff of fire, bringing Katara’s attention to the Firelord. 

“OK, I’m ready,” Zuko announced. 

Aang opened his eyes and nodded towards the other man with a small smile. 

“Um, is it OK if…” The Firelord trailed off. 

“Speak up, Zuko,” Katara said folding the shirt she had been sewing. 

“When my father…would punish—spank me, well,” Zuko started, “Hold let me start over. Um, would it be ok, with both of you, if I didn’t have um underwear on, when it happens. My father would beat me with them on and I don’t know, I guess I don’t want to be reminded of him while we’re doing this — even if he’s the reason I need this to feel OK. I just, I don’t want that layer of separation, I guess,” 

Aang nodded through out the stuttered request and glanced over at Katara who seemed to be deep in thought, having refolded the shirt for the sixth time. 

“I think that’s fine,” Katara said hesitantly. 

Aang agreed. 

“So, I guess um, Katara and I will turn around so you can take your pants and stuff off,” the monk said, facing the opposite wall, Katara following suit. 

A mumbled thanks came from the other side of the room along with the ruffle of clothing followed by another deep sigh that seemed to heat up the room, even more than it already was. 

“I’m done,” Zuko said, his voice cracking for a moment. 

The other benders turned to face their friend. Zuko stood on the other side of the bed, wearing his under-tunic and holding his hands over his crotch. Aang wondered if you had to be a Fire-bender to turn that red. 

“You’re su-” Aang was cut off. 

“Yes,” Snapped Zuko, then lowered his head, “sorry, just. Yes, I’m sure. Stop asking. Aang, I’m not doing this just for the hell of it. I think, I think I need to be stripped of my pride to restore my honor,”. 

“OK,” Aang said and gestured to his lap and was met with the weight of his taller and significantly more bulkier friend. 

Katara let out a small giggle and immediately apologized, the awkward positioning leaving Zuko’s head hanging over one side of Aang’s lap form where he glared at his water-bending friend. 

“Aang, get on with it,” he mumbled. 

“You’re so bossy,” bemoaned the avatar before making a quick and soft strike onto Zuko’s bare skin. Zuko rolled his eyes as the avatar continued to increase the strength of his hits and Zuko’s face warped into one of pain. 

Katara stood, leaning across one of the bed posts, staring down at two of her most well loved friend, for some reason she kept having to hold back little chuckles. There was something humorous in the absurdity of the whole situation. 

“Do you know why you’re being punished?” she asked, crossing her arms and trying to look as stern as possible. 

“Because I’ve been bad,” Mumbled Zuko through the continued spanking as small tears started to well under his eyes. 

“That’s right,” Katara said, “You’ve done a lot of wrong things Zuko. You’ve attacked me and Aang and our family. You burned down entire villages to try and capture Aang and left children orphaned.” Zuko had started to sob and his hand clenched at the bedding as he mumbled sorries through shaky breathe. 

Katara continued, “You were xenophobic, classiest, racist, and abusive in the past,” 

Zuko let out a particularly loud sob and shook his head, “I still have those awful thoughts,” he cried out nearly hyperventilating. 

Katara moved over to the two of the boys and moved to sit Zuko up on the bed, letting his head rest on her shoulder after having hung over the bed for so long. 

“What do you mean when you say you still have bad thoughts Zuko,” She asked patiently. 

“Sometimes I still think of outsiders and other types of benders as lesser,” Zuko hiccuped through tears. 

Katara nodded, “I know you do, Zuko. I didn’t expect you to was away a lifetime of prodigious in a couple of years. You were raised into a certain way of thinking and it’s going to take a lot to get out of that mindset completely. The important thing is that you know that you don’t act on them and you acknowledge that they’re a problem, even though I know it hurts your pride to do so,”. 

Zuko wrapped his arms around her in a hug. 

“Do you want continue?” Katara asked. 

Zuko nodded. 

“Aang and I will swap now and I want you to tell me about the things you feel guilty about while I punish you, OK?” 

Zuko nodded again and stood to allow Aang and Katara to swap places. Zuko fit over her lap slightly easier and this time Aang moved him so his face was settled into the monks lap where he ran his hand through the messy black hair. 

Unlike Aang, Katara didn’t start out with small taps to warm him up, using her full force causing Zuko to yelp in shock. 

“What are you guilty of,” Snapped the water-bender. 

“Xenophobia and nationalism,”. 

Smack, Smack. 

“Torture,”. 

Smack. 

“Unintentional Murder,” 

Multiple smacks landed in succession. 

“Abusing people in my charge,”. 

Smack. 

  
Zuko let out a sharp moan of pain and flushed as he accidentally grinded against Katara’s dress. 

A moment of silence. 

“I’m so sorry,” he mumbled. 

“It’s Ok. Like Aang said. You can’t help it. I’m not offended and that’s not what this is about. You want to keep going?” 

Zuko nodded again and took a deep breath, making sure not to exhale fire this time. He didn’t need to add burning Aang’s lap to the list of his wrong doings. 

“Um, War crimes,”. 

Smack. 

“Attempted murder,” 

Smack. 

“Sadism,”. 

Smack. 

“The burning of Kyoshi Island,” 

Smack. 

Zuko was back into a sobbing mess as he recollected his past grievances and tried to not press his cock against his friends lap or think to hard about the way he liked his head in his other friends lap. 

“I’m attracted to men,” Zuko shouted into a sob. The spanking stopped. “Oh god, I didn’t mean to say that,”. 

Katara and Aang helped him back up and Zuko winced in pain, his thighs, lower back, and ass burning with pain, he laid on his side and moved his hand to cover his erection while he shacked on the bed. 

“That’s not a bad thing,” Aang whispered and laid down next to the Firelord, “I know that outside of the Air Temples that it wasn’t really a thing talked about. I wasn’t sure if that had changed or not. You don’t need to feel guilty about liking men, Zuko. I know it’s probably more difficult than just being told it’s OK, but I’m here for you,”. 

Katara agreed softly. 

Zuko let out another sob and Aang grabbed a washrag and hurried back to his friend, where Katara had taken over the job of playing with his hair. 

### ###

The avatar carefully wiped down the sweat and the light traces of blood from where he’d taken one to many hits and as Aang ran over a more sensitive area the Firelord let out a shout in pain that bled into a soft moan. If Zuko’s face could have gotten any redder, Aang assumed it would have. 

“I’m sorry,”. 

“It’s fine,” Aang reassured him, pulling the under-tunic over his head and moving the cloth over his stomach and now soft cock. Zuko was wrapped into his bedsheets and Aang cuddled in close with him and pressed a soft kiss to his forehead. Zuko mumbled a thank you as his shoulders finally seemed to relax and his eyes fluttered closed. 


End file.
